Viliami Taulani
{{short description|Tongan rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Viliami Taulani
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|1|17|df=y}}
| birth_place = Tonga
| height = {{convert|191|cm|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|118|kg|lb stlb|0|abbr=on}}
| school = Manurewa High School
| university =
| relatives =
| occupation =
| spouse =
| position = Flanker
| currentclub = Harlequins
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 2016–21
| clubs1 = {{Rut|Counties Manukau}}
| apps1 = 20
| points1 = 10
| years2 = 2021
| clubs2 = {{Rut|Chiefs}}
| apps2 = 2
| points2 = 0
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = Harlequins
| apps3 = 12
| points3 = 10
| years4 = 2022
| clubs4 = →London Scottish
| apps4 = 1
| points4 = 0
| years5 = {{Rut|Counties Manukau}}
| apps5 = 0
| points5 = 0
| repyears1 = 2021–
| repteam1 = Tonga
| repcaps1 = 4
| reppoints1 = 5
| clubupdate = 5 Mar 2022
| repupdate = 14 Jul 2021
| ru_sevensnationalyears1 =
| ru_sevensnationalteam1 =
| ru_sevensnationalcomp1 =
| ru_sevensupdate =
}}
Viliami Taulani (born 17 January 1997){{cite web | url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/player/view/9172 | title=Viliami Taulani | publisher=Ultimate Rugby | access-date=29 April 2021}} is a Tongan rugby union player who plays for Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby. His playing position is flanker.
Early life
Taulani was educated in New Zealand at Manurewa High School in the southern suburbs of Auckland.{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby-counties-steelers-name-injury-depleted-squad/XZ7EM7JEUWB57SL4VAAIFMDZLY/ |title=Rugby: Counties Steelers name injury-depleted squad |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=25 July 2016 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He played with the school team, playing in the local high school championship, and was one of the most prominent players.{{cite web |url=https://www.collegesportmedia.co.nz/articles---archive/clamour-for-kiwi-talent-in-the-nrl-is-huge |title=Clamour for Kiwi talent in the NRL is HUGE |publisher=College Sport Media |date=23 June 2015 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He was part of his school's first team, which won the Auckland Championship in 2015.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/manukau-courier/71276889/sport-manurewa-high-school-rules |title=SPORT: Manurewa High School rules |author=Alan Apted |publisher=Stuff |date=20 August 2015 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He also played rugby sevens with his team.{{cite web |url=https://www.manurewa.school.nz/news/latest-news/rugby-sevens-champs |title=Rugby Sevens Champs |publisher=Manurewa High School |date= |access-date=26 June 2022}}
Career
=Club=
After completing his schooling, he played with Patumahoe RFC in the Counties Manukau Rugby Championship.{{cite web |url=https://www.rugbyhistory.co.nz/player/viliame-t-h-taulani |title=Viliame T H Taulani |publisher=New Zealand Rugby History |access-date=26 June 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/junior-counties-cavaliers-set-to-face-fiji-under-20s/6R4F4IEDS2X2OMY7NTDYHBESTE/ |title=Junior Counties Cavaliers set to face Fiji Under 20s |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=9 April 2016 |access-date=26 June 2022}} At the same time, he represented the Counties Manukau province under-19 team.{{cite web |url=https://www.steelers.co.nz/steelers-heat/latest/news/counties-manukau-u19-side-named-to-defend-the-jock-hobbs-memorial-trophy.html |title=Counties Manukau U19 side named to defend the Micheal Jones memorial trophy. |publisher=Counties Manukau |access-date=26 June 2022}} He also played with the Under-20 team, then the Development team, of the Chiefs franchise in 2016.{{cite web |url=https://www.steelers.co.nz/steelers-heat/latest/news/counties-manukau-academy-players-named-in-chiefs-u20-team.html |title=Counties Manukau Academy Players named in Chiefs U20 team! |publisher=Counties Manukau |date=17 February 2016 |access-date=26 June 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.hkrugby.com/news/hong-kong-rugby-union-welcomes-chiefs-development-squad |title=HONG KONG RUGBY UNION WELCOMES CHIEFS DEVELOPMENT SQUAD |publisher=HKRU |date=15 April 2016 |access-date=26 June 2022}}
The 19-year-old was retained in the Counties Manukau senior roster for the 2016 National Provincial Championship (NPC) season.{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/manukau-courier/82375298/sport-injuries-hobble-steelers-before-npc-season-even-gets-underway |title=Sport: Injuries hobble Steelers before NPC season even gets underway |author=Alan Apted |publisher=Stuff |date=27 July 2016 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He played his first match at the professional level on 18 August 2016 against North Harbor.{{cite web |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby-11-players-to-make-mitre-10-cup-debut-for-counties-manukau/6IX3QVQ4I4PCTQMXNASGA4SXCA/ |title=Rugby: 11 players to make Mitre 10 Cup debut for Counties Manukau |publisher=New Zealand Herald |date=16 August 2016 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He played five games in his first season, all as a substitute.
Taulani played little with Counties Manukau in the 2017 and 2018 NPC seasons (two and three games played respectively), before finally breaking through in the 2020 season.
After this first full season at provincial level, he played the pre-season of Super Rugby with the Chiefs franchise, and he was aligned in friendly matches.{{cite web |url=https://rugby365.com/tournaments/super-rugby/news-super-rugby/mckenzie-to-play-pivotal-role-for-chiefs/ |title=McKenzie to play pivotal role for Chiefs |publisher=Rugby365 |date=19 February 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}} Later in the season, he was granted a short-term contract with his team, following several injuries in the workforce.{{cite press release | url=https://www.chiefs.co.nz/news-item/gallagher-chiefs-named-to-face-the-blues-at-eden-park | title=Gallagher Chiefs named to face the Blues at Eden Park | publisher=Chiefs | date=29 April 2021 | access-date=29 April 2021}} He played his first game in Super Rugby Aotearoa on 1 May 2021, against the Blues.{{cite web |url=https://www.superrugby.co.nz/news/messam-named-on-bench-as-chiefs-prepare-for-blues-at-eden-park/ |title=Messam named on bench as Chiefs prepare for Blues at Eden Park |publisher=Super Rugby |date=29 April 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He played a second match a month later, during the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, against the Waratahs.{{cite web |url=https://rugby365.com/tournaments/super-rugby/news-super-rugby/chiefs-add-to-waratahs-misery/ |title=Chiefs add to Waratahs' misery |publisher=Rugby365 |date=12 June 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}}
In August 2021 he joined Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby ahead of the 2021–22 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.quins.co.uk/news/viliami-taulani-signs-for-harlequins/|publisher=Quins|title=VILIAMI TAULANI SIGNS FOR HARLEQUINS|date=11 August 2021|accessdate=25 August 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/58177895 |title=Viliami Taulani: Harlequins sign Tonga forward from Waikato Chiefs |publisher=BBC Sport |date=11 August 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/latest-news/340747/harlequins-announce-capture-of-viliami-taulani-from-chiefs/ |title=Harlequins announce capture of Viliami Taulani from Chiefs |publisher=The Rugby Paper |date=11 August 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He played twelve games in his first season, mostly in a back- up role for England international Alex Dombrandt.{{cite web |url=https://www.itsrugby.co.uk/players/viliami-taulani-38343.html |title=Viliami TAULANI |publisher=Its Rugby |access-date=26 June 2022}} He also played one game with Harlequins partner club London Scottish in the Second Division.{{cite web |url=https://londonscottish.com/london-scottish-make-five-changes-for-ealing-clash/ |title=London Scottish make five changes for Ealing clash |publisher=London Scottish |date=4 March 2022 |access-date=26 June 2022}}
In the 2023 NPC season proudly back in the hoops for the Counties Manukau Steelers.
=International=
Taulani was selected for the first time with the Tonga team in June 2021.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/444944/tonga-names-15-new-caps-to-face-all-blacks-samoa |title=Tonga names 15 new caps to face All Blacks, Samoa |publisher=RNZ |date=18 June 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He earned his first cap against New Zealand on 3 July 2021 in Auckland.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/445920/tongan-debutants-excited-for-international-debut-against-all-blacks |title=Tongan debutants excited for international debut against All Blacks |publisher=RNZ |date=1 July 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/125615499/international-men-of-mystery--just-who-are-these-tongans-facing-the-all-blacks |title=International men of mystery — just who are these Tongans facing the All Blacks? |publisher=Stuff |date=3 July 2021 |access-date=26 June 2022}} He then played the double confrontation against Samoa, then the match against the Cook Islands, all in the context of qualifying for the 2023 World Cup.{{cite web |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/scrum/rugby/player/308518.html |title=Viliami Taulani Tonga |publisher=ESPN Scrum |access-date=26 June 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{sport links}}
{{Counties Manukau NPC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taulani, Viliami}}
Category:Tongan rugby union players
Category:Rugby union number eights
Category:Tonga international rugby union players
Category:Counties Manukau rugby union players
Category:Chiefs (Super Rugby) players
Category:Harlequin F.C. players